Chapter 10: Fields And Fires

Sakura, Landar

Sakura

I stood across from Tosh, my arms in front of me in a bow. Tosh bowed too, but in a way that clearly indicated he wasn’t used to the gesture. “Are there rules?” I asked as the field around us shifted.

“Well yes. Of course there are!” Tosh’s voice rose over the grinding of stone as the field around us began shifting, adding features and summoning elemental spirits into the space. Tosh lifted a finger. “Rule one, no killing or maiming your opponent. Though the magic of the fields does protect us from such things at low and mid levels, truly high power attacks can break through before the field can react if we’re not careful.”

I nodded. “Understood. Any others?”

“Two,” Tosh lifted another finger. “No killing or maiming companions, slaves, or steeds. Since this is simply a demonstration, and I am level ten I’ll refrain from tapping into Grackix, or summoning him from my soul vault. This should even the playing field a bit as you’re level . . .” he hesitated and squinted at me.

He’s probably allowing that mind spirit to analyze me. I felt a cold presence wash over me, it was weak, but calculating and thorough. If I had pulsed my aura I could have driven it away. But there was no hostile intent here. Simply curiosity.

“Level seven it looks like. Hmmm. How about we are both limited to one companion. I won’t use Grackix, as the Lindworm would . . . well he would have a hard time even fitting in the field and he hasn’t gotten full control of his size yet. But I will use one of my companions, if that is agreeable?”

I nodded. “Then I will use . . .”

Me! Sky demanded.

No, you got to help her last time. It's my turn.

Sorry Sky, it is King's turn. I could feel Sky’s disappointment as he withdrew deeper into my soul fault to sulk.

Besides, I want to keep you as my ace in the hole. Everyones seen King by now, or at least has heard about him. But you? You will strike when no one else even knows to look.

I could feel his pride grow slightly at my words. Yes, yes this one will do so. I, Sky will be the hidden fangs in the dark.

My giant snake's ego salved, I smiled. “King. Please come out.”

Red and green light flared around me, then quickly coalesced into a massive turtle whose shell was molten with fire next to me. He snorted, and black soot coated the still shifting stone in front of us.

“A Gamera!” Tosh’s eyes went wide, and the studious young man beamed with delight. “I have read about them, but never seen one before. I hoped either you or your brother might have one I could see for myself! I’m very glad you won the draw. Very glad indeed! Would you mind if at some point, I was able to sit with you and study him a bit? We have so little information about his kind and it would be an honor to do the first real study of them up close.”

King, what do you think?

King snorted ash in annoyance. If he wins, I will submit. If he loses and does not put up a good fight he is unworthy.

And if he gives us a good fight?

We will see.

I smiled. “King says, put up a good fight or win, and you have yourself a deal.”

That’s not what I said.

Either make a promise or do not, to do otherwise is rude. King snorted ash again, this time on my shoes. I glared at him, and he looked straight ahead ignoring me.

“Seems your friend there might disagree with you.” Tosh chuckled. “Alright, if you’re so confident. I was going to make this a fair fight, but now? Now I think a lesson needs to be taught. Saraph, could you please assist me?”

A golden light erupted from Tosh, and after a brief moment a humanoid being with six feathery white wings carrying a flaming sword in one hand appeared hovering above him.

“Who calls?” The angelic figure asked, her words reverberating in my ears as if I were underwater.

“Sorry to wake you Saraph, but . . .” Tosh grinned, and the marble skinned, short, bald headed woman pierced me with a gaze that almost burned. Her presence washed over me like daylight burning away fog.

I pulsed my aura a bit, and the pressure eased.

“Yes, I see arrogance. A lesson indeed. Though you, brave shelled one, you may one day soon be worthy to duel me.”

King let out a mighty roar that rocked the now settled ground under my feet, and sent ash off his shell in waves. Coating the earth, and filling the air around us with burning motes of fire. It was a new ability he had learned not long ago. One we hadn’t yet had the opportunity to test.

“Are you ready?” Tosh asked as he pulled out a staff from under his robes. The staff would n0ot have been able to fit, and it was clear some kind of magic was at play.

“Ready!” I said, as I dropped into a warrior's stance. Low, with my bow in hand. I pushed mana into the bow, and the string light with purest black. The outline of a shadowy arrow began to appear as a light flashed from the center of the field.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

The duel had begun.

***

Landar

The angel shouted a battle cry that reminded me of a trumpet and charged forward, white flames flickering like the sun around her and her sword. Her master, the third year Tosh, began chanting and casting, throwing around what to me was a lot of mana.

397 mana units to be exact

The strange mental spirit in my head added helpfully.

It is most likely the third tier spell, Gravity Distortion. The effect of this spell will slow all those affected by 50%, and increase their relative weight to roughly 150% of their original weight within the given AOE (Area of Effect).

Tactical Recommendation: Avoid Area of Effect

I blinked the notification away from my vision, and refocused on the other side of the field. The giant fire turtle that had terrified Aurora earlier in the day launched himself towards Tosh. it was heedless of the angel’s fire as it licked the ground under her bath. As it trundled the ground shook, and motes of lit embers lit the air around him.

This is the common Ability, Ember Field. The Area of Effect of this Ability is entirely dependent on the user. All those in the AOE that are not granted the spiritual protection of the user can be severely burned.

Tactical Recommendation: Avoid Area of Effect

I watched as Sakura’s bow, which hadn’t had a string nor arrows a moment ago manifested both made of pure obsidian and purple mana. She pulled the bowstring back, and let loose the first obsidian black arrow wreathed in purple and green flames. It streaked through the air leaving behind a burning after image.

The angel raised her sword to perry the arrow, and connected, shattering the shaft. Only for the arrow to shatter into a black cloud. A moment later the purple fire ignited the cloud and engulfed the angel in eerie flames that smothered her celestial wrath.

I could feel Aurora stirring in my soul vault, watching the world through my eyes. She was intrigued by what she saw.

This could be ours, this kind of power. Does that interest you?

The wolf said nothing, but I could feel her eyes fixate on the battle.

For a moment I thought the angel was done for, and I found myself holding a breath. Tosh chanted, the turtle continued to close the distance with him, and the purple fire raged.

Golden streaks of light erupted from the still writhing flames, smothering them, and freeing the angel.

“Ember flames! Impressive little dark-witch. Now, burn for your insolence!”

Sakura let loose another arrow, though this one far less potent then the last. The angelic woman met it not with ehr blade this time, but with a beam of pure white light. The lazer like wrathful magic met the engulfing darkness and quickly overwhelmed it.

“That's incredible. I’ve never seen a celestial spirit that powerful before,” Rayce said, a mix of admiration and annoyance clear in his tone. “Even my Rex would have a tough time overcoming that kind of attack.”

“Yes, but your sister overdid it. Most of the bows saved mana have been used up. Now she must spend her own, and the exchange rate between pure and shadow magic is unforgiving.”

A moment later, the angel lifted her sword and brought it down in Saskura’s direction.

White cleansing fire erupted from the sword, burning a path directly towards Sakura.

Sakura dodged, rolling away from where she had been, and running towards a pair of boulders for cover. The fire splashed right at her heels as she ran, flickering to her combat robes and nearly igniting them.

Finally she made it, ducking behind the boulders as the fire splashed onto them, superheating the rocks and turning the front layers of the boulders molten. Seroph continued to pour her fiery wrath on the boulders, pinning Sakura.

“Look!” Rayce, Sakuras’ brother shouted pointing to where the turtle had nearly reached Tosh. Tosh’s spell had just snapped into existence. Blue energy in a circle ignited directly in front of him. Directly under the turtle.

King's legs shook as he took one, then two slow labored steps towards the young mage. Tosh was pinned as well, having to focus to maintain the spell.

“If he gets close enough, King's breath attack will end this.” Rayce said.

But the turtle was having a harder and harder time with each step. And he was barely halfway through the field.

“If he gets close enough.” I said leaning on the railing.

According to my calculations that is an unlikely outcome.

Yeah, I thought so.

Several times Sakura attempted to counter the angel's argument with another arrow, or spell. Once she tried to grow a small wall out of vines from the ground to give her extra protection and grant her a new avenue for attack. But it shriveled and burned in seconds under the angels' relentless onslaught.

“Or if Sakura can figure something out . . .” I said hopefully. But I knew better than that. She was pinned down, and from what her guard had said she had blown most of her special ammo with that magic bow of hers in her opening attack.

Even if she could get another shot off, there was little hope it would be successful.

No, she needs her turtle to come back and together they could handle that angel easily. But . . . I looked back at King. He was practically frozen, one leg lifted trying to pull himself forward. His other three legs shook like a foals just after birth.

Unable to move forward, he breathed in and let loose a devastating gout of molten lava.

Unfortunately it was just out of reach.

Spent, the turtle collapsed, and a pale white protective magic erupted around him relieving him from the gravity field and protecting him from any more harm.

I looked back at the angel. She still had Sakura pinned, and more than half the boulders that Sakura had been hiding behind were not molten slag. But the celestial spirit was hardly untouched.

Feathers were missing, burns that festered with black mana covered parts of her arms and shoulders, and hot motes of fire drifted down onto her like snow. The burn marks on her clothes and skin pock marked her like chicken pox.

She was hurt. But hardly beaten.

It didn't take long for Toth to join her, and together they flanked and overwhelmed Sakura.

The girl did her best to get in close to take Toth out with a glowing flaming sword she had summoned from pure flame. A trick I had seen others use, and that my mind spirit had called ‘shape flame’.

But it didn't work.

Half way between her cover and her target, the angel's torrent of holy fire washed over her and bathed her in burning death.

It didn’t take long for the Fields protective magic to wear off, and the two dualists to make the steps.

“Thank you for the match. It was good practice and I learned much.” Sakura bowed low, and Toth smiled and patted her on the shoulder.

“You’re welcome. And heck, once you get caught up on your theory classes, I'd love another rematch. I know Seraph would as well.”

“King is already making plans.”

“That was incredible.” I found myself saying. “I think I learned a lot just from watching you two.”

Toth looked startled that I or anyone else had said anything. But the other members of the tour group agreed.

“Yeah!” A young man from the rear of the group said. “That celestial was awesome! I want a companion like that!”

“How did you know the boulders would hold like that?” Another girl asked Sakura. “Weren’t you scared?”

As we made our way out of the Enhancement Field, and towards the basement classrooms, Sakura and Toth were peppered with a constant deluge of questions from inspired first years.